Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, yesterday, warned blackmailers and those bent on creating confusion in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to desist, saying such indulgence will not fetch them the party’s ticket for the 2023 governorship election.
Wike maintained that he would only support someone with the vision and political clout to champion the cause of the state progressively to succeed him in 2023.
He stated this during the inauguration of the official residence of Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, at the Old GRA, Port Harcourt.
He said he was more concerned about the continued progress of state after his tenure, adding: “I cannot support anybody who cannot move Rivers State forward. I will support those who mean well for the state and have the heart to continue to support the party.”
Wike stressed that any serious politician focused on winning elections in Rivers State could ignore the electoral strength of Obio-Akpor Council insisting that as governor from the council the most electable voters, anyone aspiring to the governorship position would need him.
He reaffirmed the status of the Speaker pointing out that anybody plotting to unseat him would be pitching a fight against the party and should be ready for the consequences.
He explained that he never said all national or state lawmakers were working against him and urged newspaper columnists and other public commentators to show good understanding of their expressions in their conversations.
“I never said all the lawmakers, but some of them were plotting against me and that I know what they are doing. There is a difference between all members and some members of the National Assembly, just as there is difference between the state House of Assembly and some members,” he said.
On Ibani’s new official residence, Wike noted how the official quarters was abandoned until he intervened, adding that the intervention was possible because of the cordial relationship between the state’s legislature and the executive.
He also refuted reports alleging that the state government was indebted to some commercial banks, stressing that his administration was not owing any bank and challenged anybody with contrary proof to show it.
Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Opara, who unveiled the official quarters, said the Wike administration had positively imparted all arms of government, sectors and local government system.
